AP Environmental Science Practice Quiz: Introduction to Biodiversity
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Test your understanding with short quizzes. This quiz has 12 questions to check your progress.
Question 1 of 12
All Questions (12)
A) Genetic, species, and habitat
B) Individual, population, and community
C) Trophic, keystone, and indicator
D) Primary, secondary, and tertiary
Correct Answer: A
The provided content explicitly states, 'Biodiversity in an ecosystem includes genetic, species, and habitat diversity.'
A) Habitat diversity
B) Species diversity
C) Genetic diversity
D) Ecosystem diversity
Correct Answer: C
The content states, 'The more genetically diverse a population is, the better it can respond to environmental stressors.' The presence of a resistance gene within the population is an example of genetic diversity allowing some individuals to survive the stressor (the antibiotic).
A) A population bottleneck leading to a loss of genetic diversity.
B) An increase in species richness due to a founding event.
C) Habitat loss affecting a generalist species.
D) An ecosystem recovering quickly from a disruption.
Correct Answer: A
According to the text, 'A population bottleneck can lead to a loss of genetic diversity.' This scenario, where a catastrophic event drastically reduces a population and its genetic variation, perfectly describes a population bottleneck.
A) A commercial palm oil plantation with only one species of palm tree.
B) A grassland ecosystem containing dozens of different species of grasses and wildflowers.
C) An agricultural field planted with a single, genetically uniform strain of wheat.
D) A small island inhabited by a single, highly specialized bird species.
Correct Answer: B
The content states, 'Ecosystems that have a larger number of species are more likely to recover from disruptions.' The grassland, with its dozens of species, has the highest species diversity and is therefore the most likely to contain some drought-resistant species that can help the ecosystem recover.
A) A coyote, which can adapt to eat a wide range of food sources, including human refuse.
B) A poison dart frog that relies exclusively on a single type of bromeliad plant for breeding.
C) A rat, which thrives in human-altered environments.
D) A common weed that grows well in disturbed, open soil.
Correct Answer: B
The text indicates that 'Loss of habitat leads to a loss of specialist species, followed by a loss of generalist species.' The poison dart frog is a specialist species because its survival is tied to a single, specific plant. The other options are generalists.
A) Plot A
B) Plot B
C) Plot C
D) Plot D
Correct Answer: C
The content defines species richness as 'the number of different species found in an ecosystem.' Plot C has 22 different species, which is the highest number among the four plots.
A) A moss species that grows on tree trunks throughout the forest.
B) A mountain lion that requires a vast, unbroken area to hunt for prey.
C) An insect that spends its entire life cycle on a single tree.
D) A generalist rodent species that can live in forest edges and open fields.
Correct Answer: B
The content states that loss of habitat leads to 'reduced numbers of species with large territorial requirements.' A mountain lion has a very large territory, and fragmenting its habitat with a highway would severely restrict its ability to hunt and find mates.
A) Genetic diversity
B) Species diversity
C) Population diversity
D) Habitat diversity
Correct Answer: D
Habitat diversity refers to the variety of different ecosystems or habitats in a given area. The list of forests, deserts, grasslands, and wetlands represents different habitats.
A) High genetic diversity guarantees that all individuals in a population will survive any environmental change.
B) Low genetic diversity allows a population to adapt more quickly to new conditions.
C) High genetic diversity increases the chance that some individuals will have traits that allow them to survive and reproduce in new conditions.
D) Genetic diversity is unrelated to a population's ability to survive environmental change.
Correct Answer: C
The content states, 'The more genetically diverse a population is, the better it can respond to environmental stressors.' This is because a wider range of genes and traits makes it more likely that some individuals will be suited to survive the new stressor, ensuring the continuation of the population.
A) Habitat diversity
B) Genetic diversity
C) Species richness
D) Ecosystem resilience
Correct Answer: C
The text defines species richness as 'the number of different species found in an ecosystem.' Both ecosystems have 50 species, so they have the same species richness, even though their species evenness (distribution of individuals) is very different.
A) High species richness and a population bottleneck.
B) Being a specialist species and the loss of its habitat/food source.
C) High genetic diversity and being a generalist species.
D) Habitat diversity and high ecosystem resilience.
Correct Answer: B
This scenario combines two concepts from the text. The panda is a specialist species because it relies on a single food source. The loss of this food source is a form of habitat loss. The text states that habitat loss leads to the loss of specialist species first, putting the panda at extreme risk.
A) An increase in the number of species in the habitat.
B) A loss of genetic diversity within the population.
C) An increase in the population's ability to withstand stressors.
D) A shift from being a specialist to a generalist species.
Correct Answer: B
The text directly states, 'A population bottleneck can lead to a loss of genetic diversity.' This reduction in genetic variation is the key outcome of such an event.